Pentel Taiwan has given SIDE FX a softer palette. Announced on September 9, the limited editions come in pastel blue, green, pink and purple, all with 0.5 mm lead and a suggested price of 60 New Taiwan dollars (NT$60) each.
The familiar controls are part of the appeal: a button above the grip advances the lead from the side, while a collar at the back raises the twist-up eraser. The colors extend Pentel’s established PD255 family.
Four colors, one specification
The barrel and cushioned grip share the pastel finish, with a clear center section leaving the side-click assembly visible. For anyone tracking the variants, Pentel’s announcement gives each color its own code:
- Pastel blue
- PD255-PC
- Pastel green
- PD255-PK
- Pastel pink
- PD255-PP
- Pastel purple
- PD255-PV
The eraser is worth a second look
Pentel pairs the new colors with a reminder that the large rear eraser is replaceable. The compatible XE10-W refill contains three erasers; the announcement sheet lists the pack at a suggested NT$40.
That is a useful detail on an everyday pencil. Using up the eraser does not mean losing one of the features that makes SIDE FX distinctive. Pentel’s Taiwanese promotion also positions the broad, cushioned grip as an entry point for students moving from wooden pencils to mechanical pencils.
For US readers, NT$60 is roughly US$1.90 at Bank of Taiwan’s October 8 exchange rate, before any importing costs. That is a currency comparison; Pentel’s notice does not announce a US release or US retail price. The sheet does not separately state tax treatment or give a production quantity or closing date for the limited colors.
See Pentel’s original announcement sheet
